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FBI Defends Patel’s Jet Use as Aviation Chief Is Ousted and Jet Tracking Is Blocked

Officials say the director is a required-use traveler who prepaid for personal flights.

Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Kash Patel listens as U.S. President Donald Trump delivers an announcement on his Homeland Security Task Force in the State Dining Room of the White House on October 23, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump announced his administration’s task force has arrested over 3,000 cartel and foreign terrorist members.
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Overview

  • Public ADS-B and FlightAware records show FBI-registered jet N708JH flew to State College, Pennsylvania, on Oct. 25 in a trip that aligns with Alexis Wilkins’ performance and then continued to Nashville.
  • Bloomberg Law reported that Steven Palmer, a 27-year FBI veteran who oversaw aviation and CIRG, was forced out on Friday after coverage of the trip, with sources saying he was told to resign or be fired.
  • FlightAware has since disabled public tracking for N708JH at the owner or operator’s request, removing the plane’s movement history from public view.
  • Kash Patel denounced the reporting and defenses of his girlfriend on X, while FBI spokesperson Ben Williamson said directors must use government aircraft for security and that Patel reimburses for personal travel.
  • The attention to the flight was initially driven by former FBI agent Kyle Seraphin, who has also been sued for defamation by Wilkins over separate claims unrelated to the flight.